Finding Ethically Produced, Affordable Clothing
It's no secret that many apparel companies use underpaid and often exploit workers to produce the clothing they sell. If this is no secret, why do people continue supporting brands and companies that use unethical labor practices to increase their profits? While some people shop fast fashion without understanding the full consequences of fast fashion, the majority of customers are simply shopping within their budgets. Studies have shown that people want to invest in ethical fashion, but rarely do because they think prices are out of their reach. In this article, I will discuss three ways in which you can source ethically produced clothing at very affordable price points.
As a designer that produces made to measure dresses ranging between several hundred to several thousand, I'll be the first to say that my brand is ethical in terms of its labor practices, but not always affordable to the average consumer. Here's why: I refuse to hire anyone that isn't paid at least minimum wage- this includes interns. The only time I will consider working with someone and not paying them if it's a collaboration that's mutually beneficial. This firm labor policy combined with luxury materials results in many of my individually made dresses being out of the price range for many people. However, the Peony Scarf and the Splash of Ink Scarf have been favorites for people that aren't ready to invest in a dress.
Despite many Kate Stoltz pieces being in a higher price range, a lot of my readers ask for more affordable options. Because of this, I actively seek to work with brands that have discovered ways to produce ethically produced, affordable clothing. I believe that ethically produced, beautiful clothing should and is readily available. Finding great ethical brands selling at affordable price points can be tricky, especially when you don't want to sacrifice quality in either materials or craftsmanship. However, these three options are here for individuals that are willing to invest a little extra time in improving the future of fashion and humanity.
The first option: Ethically produced brands that source directly from artisans living in developing countries while ensuring worker safety, fair wages and fair treatment. I recently worked with Fuchsia Shoes- a sustainable footwear brand with flats made individually by hand in Sangla Hill, Pakistan. (Full disclosure: we collaborated with a project exclusively for Instagram, but I am including them in this article because I found their story so inspiring and their products to be incredibly well crafted).
There are several things Fuchsia Shoes is doing that I found to be worth noting. First: they work with experienced artisans that take pride in their craftsmanship, resulting in well made products that feel and look as good as top designer brands. Second: they ensure these artisans are paid fair wages, resulting in a healthier community, happier workers and safer environments. Third, they source their leathers from animals bred for meat production which results in less waste from food consumption byproducts.
There are many companies with similar structures to Fuchsia Shoes, such as Mayan Hands (a source for table runners and napkins made by Guatemalan weavers) . In addition, there are companies that source directly from artisans around the world such as Mayet (modern artisan clothing) and Mochi (boho clothing).
The second option: Vintage Designer Apparel. Buying clothing that has been used before is now thankfully socially acceptable and even applauded within the fashion industry. As we are increasingly aware of the consequences of fast fashion, it is now more fashionable and admirable to wear vintage clothes than it is to wear fast fashion. There are endless sources to shop from; your local thrift store, online shopping website such as ThredUp, Crossroads, Buffalo Exchange, Beacon's Closet and even Goodwill.
Finding a great pair of designer heels or your favorite designer's dress in the middle of a rack of fast fashion knockoffs will never get old. My personal best find was a pair of barely worn Yves Saint Laurent heels with satin bows in the back for less than $100. I went to a popular Parisian vintage shop, where the YSL shoes were only one pair among rows of designer shoes, stuffed in the midst of crammed racks of designer jackets, couture dresses, designer handbags- most in mint condition. I still wear the YSL heels and get compliments every time.
The third option: Renting. You can now rent pants, shirts, shoes, jewelry and dresses at very affordable price points. Yes, you'll only wear the piece once or twice, but it's a great way to dress up for an occasion without straining your budget. Rent the Runway is one of the most popular shopping platforms you can rent from, but there are other great resources competing for your business. Poshare, Le Tote, Armoire, Style Lend, and Charlotte's Closet are only a few of the fashion rental websites worth checking out.
In conclusion, ethically produced fashion is here for everyone. It's just up to us to put a little extra time into seeking it out. Trust me, its worth it.
XOXO,
Kate Stoltz
Read about our new peony silk scarf, which was made in Italy here: Peonies on Carrara Marble Scarf
321 comments
Trading Scam Reached You Too Request Recovery
I had given up on trying to get my money back after losing a significant amount on a shady online investment. I chose to test out the services of a platform that helps to recover lost monies out of desperation. To my absolute surprise, they were able to recover my missing funds within a few weeks, despite my first suspicion. The team was efficient and professional, and they kept me informed at every stage. I wholeheartedly urge anyone who has lost money through dishonest ways to use this platform. Feel free to email wizardlarry@mail.com if you want to recoup your money or have any other inquiries.
(WhatsApp +4 366-493-1183-78)
Wizardlarry.wixsite.com/wizardlarry is the website’s URL.
Fast loan, an unbeatable rate from 2% You need money urgently, get up to €100,000 in a few hours now to solve all your personal problems. From a few thousand euros to several hundred thousand euros with resolution and rapid availability of funds Professional loan Between €30,000 and €50,000,000 Repayment period between 6 months and 10 years Does not exist Contact me by email: challotloan@gmail.com
I just want to say Thank You to everyone who supported me through the years. My name is Manuel Franco, New Berlin, Wisconsin. My story of how I won the Powerball lottery of $768.4M is a bit of a tale. I have been playing Powerball tickets for 6 years now since I turned 18. I bought my first ticket on my 18 birthday. I was feeling very lucky that day because I had contacted Dr. Odunga Michael to help me with the winning Powerball numbers. I really had that great great feeling that I looked at the camera wanting to wink at it. I only did a tiny part of it and trusted him. He gave me the numbers after I played a couple other tickets along with it for $10. I checked my ticket after the winnings came online and saw the numbers were correct including the Power play. I screamed for about 10 minutes because it felt like a dream. I had won $768.4M. You can check my winning testimony with the lottery officials just with my name search. Thank you Dr Odunga. Well, his email is odungaspelltemple@gmail.com and you can also call or Whats-app him at +2348167159012 so you guys can contact him
Recovering lost Bitcoin can require unique hacking skills and expertise that are possessed by only a handful of professional hackers. While there are many recovery websites out there, it’s important to be cautious as 99% of them are operated by scammers who try to appear legitimate. Instead, it’s best to seek out a trusted hacker like Judas Wizard who can help you recover your funds. They were able to recover $126k worth of BTC that I had lost to bitcoin mining. To get in touch with Judas, you can email him at hackerjudas9@gmail.com or message him on Telegram @JUDAS012
My name is María José Alvaro, my husband filed for a divorce after 8 years of marriage, it was difficult for me and the kids I did all I could to save my marriage and my family, but all fail until a friend of mine told me about the wonderful work of Dr SHANKIKI, A POWERFUL SPELL CASTER, I contacted him and he assured me 24hours all will be well the next day to my greatest surprise my husband came back home apologizing for his actions, went on his knees and was crying begging me for forgiveness I’m so happy right now thank you so much Dr SHANKIKI, the good thing is that he do not charge upfront payment, One message to him today can change your life too for the better.
Email: My name is María José Alvaro, my husband filed for a divorce after 8 years of marriage, it was difficult for me and the kids I did all I could to save my marriage and my family, but all fail until a friend of mine told me about the wonderful work of Dr SHANKIKI, A POWERFUL SPELL CASTER, I contacted him and he assured me 24hours all will be well the next day to my greatest surprise my husband came back home apologizing for his actions, went on his knees and was crying begging me for forgiveness I’m so happy right now thank you so much Dr SHANKIKI, the good thing is that he do not charge upfront payment, One message to him today can change your life too for the better.
Email: My name is María José Alvaro, my husband filed for a divorce after 8 years of marriage, it was difficult for me and the kids I did all I could to save my marriage and my family, but all fail until a friend of mine told me about the wonderful work of Dr SHANKIKI, A POWERFUL SPELL CASTER, I contacted him and he assured me 24hours all will be well the next day to my greatest surprise my husband came back home apologizing for his actions, went on his knees and was crying begging me for forgiveness I’m so happy right now thank you so much Dr SHANKIKI, the good thing is that he do not charge upfront payment, One message to him today can change your life too for the better.
Email: shankikisolutiontemple4@mail.com
WhatsApp: +254753944371